The State Cabinet on Thursday accepted three recommendations, including providing reservation of 33% of the total seats in favour of OBCs in urban local body (ULB) elections, made by a commission headed by former judge K. Bhakthavatsala to study suitable political representation for other backward classes (OBCs) in ULB elections.
However, it rejected recommendations on the term of office of the Mayor and Deputy Mayor for 30 months in BBMP and the re-classification of “backward classes”.
Aggregate reservation
The Cabinet accepted the recommendation of providing reservation of 33% of total seats in favour of OBCs in ULB elections. The aggregate reservation of seats in favour of Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, and the backward classes should not exceed 50% of the total seats in ULBs, said Minister for Law and Parliamentary Affairs H K Patil after the Cabinet meeting.
Noting that 44.40% of the total population in Karnataka belonged to OBCs (including minorities), the commission in its report said that “the State in its wisdom and authority” had adopted the castes listed as OBCs for the purpose of education and employment, for purpose of political reservation on the ground that they were socially and politically backward in the State.
What HC said
The panel submitted the report to the previous BJP government on July 21, 2022. However, the High Court of Karnataka sought clarity on the authenticity of the data used in the report. Following which, the commission submitted the supplementary report. The Cabinet meeting, chaired by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, accepted the supplementary report, sources in the government said.
It also accepted the recommendation on bringing all ULBs election wings under the control of the Department of Personnel and Administrative Reforms.
Rejected
The Cabinet rejected two recommendations. It turned down a suggestion on amendment to Section 10 of the Karnataka Municipal Corporations (KMC) Act, 1976, regarding the term of office of the Mayor and Deputy Mayor for 30 months.
The Cabinet also rejected the recommendation that “the State government may review the re-classification of ‘backward classes’ Category-A and B into two more categories of ‘backward classes’ for the purpose of effective reservation in favour of OBCs including minorities, before the next local body election that will be held in the year 2027 or 2028.”
